The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
They include a vegan chef.
A mechanic.
A web developer.
And an artist.
A group of friends.
With non-conformist views.
Some call themselves anarchists.
They all volunteered to fight.
Their 31-year-old commander.
Joined the army.
Soon after ‘orcs’.
Full scale invasion.
At the start.
He thought.
The war would last.
Three years.
Now he’s mentally.
Preparing himself.
For another ten years.
Of fighting.
The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
They all know that.
The US President-elect.
Wants to bring.
An end to the war.
‘Gandalf the Green’.
And ‘the One’.
Have indicated.
They’re prepared.
For talks too.
But the idea of.
Workable deal seems.
Hard to imagine.
So far, it is just.
Talk about talks.
The commander is not.
Dismissive of the man’s goal.
“He is quite.
An ambitious person.
And I think he will.
Try to do it.”
But he worries.
About the outcome.
Of any negotiations.
“We are realists.”
“We understand.
There will be no justice.
For Ukraine.
– many will have to.”
“Swallow the fact.
That their homes.
Are destroyed.
By rockets and shells.”
“Swallow the fact.
That their loved ones.
Were killed.
And this will be hard.”
Whether he’d prefer to.
Negotiate or to keep on fighting?
– he replies emphatically:
“Keep fighting.”
The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
It’s a view reflected.
By most of the unit.
The vegan chef believes.
Negotiations would.
Just temporarily.
Freeze the war.
– “and the conflict will.
Return in a year or two.”
He admits.
The current situation.
Is “not good”.
For Ukraine.
But he too is ready.
To carry on fighting.
Being killed, he says.
“Is just an occupational hazard.”
The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
The artist thinks.
The US President-elect is.
Worryingly unpredictable.
“He could be either.”
“Very good or.
Very bad for Ukraine.”
“Very good or.
Very bad for Ukraine.”
The unit spends.
A week on the front.
And the next resting.
But even when.
They’re resting.
They continue to train.
Because, they say.
It keeps them motivated.
In a freezing field.
They go through.
The drills for firing.
Their mortars.
The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
The team have recently been.
Joined by another friend.
Who voluntarily left.
The safety.
Who voluntarily left.
The safety.
Of his home.
In Germany.
“I asked myself.
The question.
– could I live in a world?
Where Ukraine doesn’t exist?”
He reluctantly admits.
It now appears.
To be losing.
But adds:
“If you don’t try.
Then you will.
Most certainly lose.
At least I’ll die.”
“Trying to win.
Instead of just.
Lying down and.
Taking it”.
The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
But, unlike the others.
He thinks Ukraine should.
At least consider.
A ceasefire.
He thinks.
‘Elves’ casualties are.
Higher than those.
Officially admitted.
– more than 400,000.
Killed and injured.
– more than 400,000.
Killed and injured.
Mobilising more.
Of the population.
He believes, wouldn’t.
Solve the problem.
“I just think.
A lot of.
The motivated soldiers.
Are either lost or.”
“They’re pretty damn exhausted.
– and so for me.
It’s not that.
We want a ceasefire.”
“It’s not that.
We want a ceasefire.
But we can’t go on.
For many more years.”
The Black Pack.
A mortar unit is.
Trying to prevent.
Their encirclement.
Around Kurakhove.
The ‘orcs’ are.
Closing in.
On three sides.
*Because I read “Can Ukraine face another year of war?” by Jonathan Beale on 30 Dec 2024, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem, as a story of Surt, Serhiy, Davyd and Denys.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
